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Now that Americans are embracing the concept that breaded and fried fast food is bad for their health, we are witnessing the insurgence of healthy lunchtime alternatives. Almost every restaurant has jumped on the panini train, and designer salads are becoming ever more popular. Whether it’s Starbucks or Denny’s, the face of lunchtime has taken a turn. And as should be expected, as the restaurant industry recognized this successful trend a new genre of eatery was born. Featuring soups, salads and a variety of sandwiches, these new-style delis have revolutionized “fast food” dining.

Paying roughly twice what you would spend at a traditional hamburger joint, these new deli-slash-bakeries typically offer sandwiches, panini, wraps, salads and soups, all served up with fresh-baked bread that has it all over those sesame seed buns!

Among the best in the region is a tiny treasure called the Three Sisters Cafe. Located in a small storefront just a few blocks off of the 16th Street Mall on Stout St., this family owned lunch spot is best known for its fabulous homemade soups. These are so in demand that there is actually a “soup hotline” that you can call prior to your visit so that you have a bit of time to make your decision before you arrive.

Many soups are created to address seasonal ingredients, so look for yummy roasted vegetables during the fall. On the day of our summer visit they offered 4 vegetarian options, including a white-grape gazpacho. I opted for the coconut-curry, which was absolutely heavenly, especially when you sopped it up with a piece of their homemade bread (an add-on definitely worth the price).

Don’t forgo the other options, though, as you will discover your sandwiches stuffed generously (but not gluttonously) with the freshest of ingredients. My turkey panini was stacked with plenty of meat, cheese and avocado between flakey and flavorful bread. One of my companions ordered the Raspberry Walnut salad which was insanely crammed with add-ins. There were so many walnuts and craisins the salad seemed almost decadent!

You aren’t going to find bells and whistles at the Three Sisters, but you will find a really great kitchen crew dishing out generous portions of delicious food at very reasonable prices. One of the more charming elements of my visit came when I stumbled upon three little blonde toddlers happily munching on sandwiches. A quick glance to the wall above their heads revealed a portrait of these three, all dressed in little chef hats and playing with kitchenware. The Three Sisters, a true family invention. Would it be fair, then, to compare this small enterprise with a great big daddy version?

What started as a unique and healthy alternative has found its way to the world of the franchise chain. Such is the case with Panera Bread. Featuring the same basic types of food we found at Three Sisters, Panera Bread offers more, more, more. But is more actually better?

When I walked into one Panera Bread location I couldn’t help but feel I had just walked into a food court. We traversed the cavernous space past dozens of cafeteria-styled tables. The colossal menu was hanging above a long ordering counter with several cashiers (a la McDonalds) but was so huge, and the printing so small, I did have a hard time reading everything. There were columns of sandwiches, panini and “specialties” that weren’t really special at all, they just contained slightly more expensive ingredients and were therefore priced accordingly. There were a half-dozen salad choices (regular and “special”) as well as a variety of soups. Soup/salad/sandwich combos were available but listed in a separately displayed disc rather than on the main menu.

In a nutshell, there were so many options and the menu was displayed in such a confusing manner, I say thank goodness there were a dozen people in line in front of me so that I had enough time to make my final decision (which inevitably was the wrong one but I’ll discuss that later!)

Once your order was placed you received a buzzer, found a seat, and waited for the obnoxious device to vibrate across the table when your order was ready. Then you wound your way back to a separate pick-up area to find a counter full of completed lunch orders. You had to inspect them all hoping you recognized what you thought you ordered. I couldn’t help but wonder how many times someone might have found someone else’s order to look more appealing than their own. Still, as off-putting as this was, my companions assured me that it is better than the former alternative … milling around the counter for 5 minutes waiting for your name to be called.

As to the quality of the food, I chose a 1/2 smokehouse turkey Panini and a cup of the roasted corn and tomato soup. I was pretty disappointed with the Panini, which ended up being little more than an overly toasted turkey and cheddar sandwich. And the soup was fine, but the Italian seasonings weren’t really reflected in the description. In talking to others at the table, several found their salads to be bland although the majority shrugged and gave an ambiguous “it was good” rating.

All in all, I would say that Panera Bread is a fine option if you want upscale fast food, but it will never live up to the charm and personality you will find in the mom and pop joint. The Three Sisters wins hands down.***